Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis has claimed most of the deadliest attacks in Egypt since the army's overthrow of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi last July, saying that they were in revenge for a deadly crackdown by the security forces.

Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, which renounced violence decades ago, has condemned the attacks but that has not stopped it being declared a terrorist organization by the military-installed authorities.

The blacklisting makes even declarations of verbal support for the Brotherhood punishable by heavy prison sentences.

Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis also claimed responsibility for a Monday attack on Egypt's gas export pipeline through the Sinai Peninsula.

The attack on the pipeline was the third in less than a month and follows repeated attacks last year that severely disrupted Egypt's gas exports.

The group had previously claimed a car bombing which killed five people outside Cairo police headquarters on Friday. The group has in the past also claimed rocket attacks on the Israeli resort city of Eilat.